Wire-and-slat-fence machine



PatentedvMay' 22, 1894.

A. w. LANE.

WIRE AND SLAT FENGE MACHINE.

(No Model.)

/N VE NTOH Ml ,Z/ f@ T'OHNYS.

| e oMPAnY.

Aanme'ron. n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW WILSON LANE, OF FREDONIA, KANSAS.

WIRE-AND-SLAT-FENCE MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,321, dated May 22, 1894.

Application filed November 23, 1893. Serial No. 4911772- (NO meL) To a/ZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, ANDREW WILSON LANE, of Fredonia, in the county of Wilson and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Fence-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to machines for manufacturing Wired picket fences, and its object is to provide a new and improved fence machine, which is simple and durable in construction, very eective in operation, and arranged to quickly and securely weave the pickets or slats in piace in the sets of wires.

The invention consists principally of slidbars carrying oppositely-arranged racks engaging gear wheels formed with transverse openings for the wires.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details, and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter described and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures.

Figure lis afgront elevationof the improvement. Fig; 2'is a rearelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged face view of one of the sliding rack bars with a gear wheel in place. Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged front elevation of the bars'and one of the gear wheels. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of one of the gear wheels. Fig. 8 is a sectional face view of the same on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a face view of the detachable flange for the gearv wheel.

The improved fence machine is provided with the standards A and A', connected with each other at the front and rear by bars B and B', so as to hold the said standards parallel one to the other.4 The two standards are also connected with each other a suitable distance from their lower ends by frames B2 and B3, arranged on the front and rear of the standards, as plainly illustrated in Figs. l and 2, the said frames being located directly opposite each other, so as to form a strong support for the pivot C on which the handle D is fulcrumed, one end of the said handle being lengthened to be taken hold of by the operator. If desired, however, the said handle may be taken hold ofpby two operators on opposite ends, to impart a swinging motion to the handle when making the fence, as hereinafter more fully described. The handle D is pivotally connected on opposite sides of the pivot C by pitmen E and E', with bars F and F', respectively, fitted to slide on the inner faces of the standards A and A and between the connectingbars B, B and the frames B2, B3. The bars F and F carry on their opposite faces sets of racks G and G respectively, each set engaging a gear wheel H on opposite sides, so that when the two bars F and F are moved up and down by the operator working the handle D, the said gear wheels are rotated to twist the wires I held in each gear wheel. Each rack G or G is tted with its back G2 into a vertically-extending groove F2 formed in the corresponding bar F or F. From the back G2 of eachrack extends a number of cross bars G3Iitting into correspondingly-shaped recesses F3 formed in the corresponding bar F or F', but deeper than the grooves F2, so that when a rack is in place, the cross bars Gaprevent the rack from sliding up or down. The cross bars G3 extenda sufficient distance on each side of the rack to permit of inserting a screw or pin J, in each projecting side to fasten the cross bar in place on the corresponding bar F or F. The cross bars are located at uniform distances apart, and each bar F or F is formed with correspondinglydistanced recesses F3 throughout its length, so that the said rack G or G can be shifted on the corresponding bars F or F to bring the racks of one bar closer one to the other, or farther apart according to the distance desired between the sets of wires holding the slats in place, it being understood that this distance between the wires depends mainly on the length of the slats or pickets. Each gear wheel H is provided with two flanges H and H2, of which the flange H is integral with the gear wheel and the other liange H2 is held in place by a bolt K extending centrally through the gear wheel and flange H2 as plainly illustrated in Fig. 7 In order to prevent the fiange H2 from turningI provide the same at its inner face with a lug H3 fitting into a correspondingly shaped recess H4 formed in the face of the gear wheel H. On each gear wheel H are formed two transversely extending and radially arranged slots H5 and H6 located diametrically opposite each other and adapted to register with the inner ends of L-shaped slots H7 and H8 formed in the removable ange H2. From the face of the gear wheel H next to the detachable ange H2 and close to the inner ends of the slots H5 and H6, project lugs H9 and H11 adapted to fit into the outer ends of the L- shaped slots HT and HS, as plainly shown in Fig. 5, so that the outer ends of the said slots H7 and H8 are closed whenever the ang'e H2 is fastened in place on the gear wheel by its bolt K. `Vlhen the said flange H2 is detached from the gear wheel, the wires can be readily inserted at the slots H5 and Hi and through the open ends of the slots H7and Hsin the detached flange H2, after which the latter is placed in position on the gear wheel and fastened in `place thereon, by the bolt K, as previously described, so that the two wires are locked in place in the gear wheels. Now, when the rack bars F and F are moved up and down, as above described, a rotary motion is given to each gear wheel H, so that the wires are twisted to hold the picket in place. I prefer to give each gear wheel H one and a half turn for each full stroke of the handle D. On the upper end of the standards A and A is secured a handle L located on the rear side of the standards, as plainly shown in Fig. 2, so as to be within convenient reach of the operators left hand. A gage N is secured to the rear of the standards A and A near their lower ends, as plainly shown in Fig. 2. 0n the lower end of the standard A and at the rear side thereof is secured a foot O adapted to be engaged by the operators left footto hold the machine in proper position on the ground. See Fig. 1. It will be seen that by the arrangement described, the operator can conveniently manipulate the handle D so as to impart an alternate up and down sliding motion to the rack bars F and F to rotate the gear wheels H to twist the wires I, as above described.

It is understood that as the rack bar F moves upward the other rack bar F moves downward, so that the gear wheels are turned without moving in either an up or down direction, and a similar movement takes place at the time the bar F moves downward and the other bar F moves upward, with the only dierence that the gear Wheel then turns in an opposite direction.

It is further understoodv that a picket is inserted in the sets of wires at the end of each up or down stroke, so that the twists on opposite sides of a picket are in opposite directions. The flanges H and H2 fit on opposite sides of the corresponding racks G and G', so that transverse displacements of the said gear wheels are prevented, and at the same time undue friction between the racks and gear wheels is prevented.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patenty 1. A fence machine, comprising connected standards held parallel to each other, bars fitted to slide in the said connected standards, and adapted to travel simultaneouslyin opposite directions, racks secured on opposite faces of the said bars and adjustable thereon, for the purpose specified, and gear wheels carrying the wires and arranged between the opposite racks, substantially as shown and described.

2. A fence machine, comprising vertical standards held parallel to each other, bars mounted to slide in opposite directions in the said standards, racks secured on opposite faces of the said bars, and adjustable thereon, gear wheels engaged on opposite sidesby the oppositely arranged racks, each gear wheel being formed with transverse recesses for the reception of the wires to be twisted, pitmen connected with the said bars, and a handle mounted to swing and pivotally connected with the said pitmen on opposite sides of its fulcrum, substantially as shown and described.

3. A fence machine comprising connected standards, frames attached to the said standards on opposite sides and carrying a pivot, a handle mounted to swing on the said pivot, pitmen pivotally-connected with the said handle at opposite sides of the said pivot, bars fitted to slide in the said connected standards and pivotally connected with the said pitmen, sets of racks held adjustably on opposite faces of the said bars, and gear wheels arranged between the sets of racks and formed with transverse recesses for the wires to be twisted, substantially as shown and described.

4. A fence machine provided with a revoluble gear wheel having diametrically arranged slots and provided with a recess formed in its face, and a detachable flange formed with slots adapted to register at their inner ends with the slots in the gear wheel and provided with a lug shaped to tit the recess in the Aface of the gear wheel, substantially as shown and described.

5. A fence machine provided witha revoluble gear wheel having diametrically arranged slots, a detachable flange formed with slots adapted to register at their inner ends with the slots in the gear wheel, and lugs projecting from the face of the gear wheel, to close the outer ends of the slots in the said detachable flange, substantially as shown and described.

6. A fence machine provided with sliding bars, each havinga longitudinally-extending` groove and transverse recesses, and racks each adapted to engage with its back the said longitudinal groove, each rack being also formed with cross bars adapted to lit into the transverse recesses of the bar, substantially as shown and described.

ANDREV VILSON LANE.

Witnesses:

S. S. KIRKPATRICK, C. S. REID.

ICQ

los 

